Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene

Chief Macha showing hand-washing facility used in the concept of community led total sanitaion in Choma, Southern Province

Halving the number of people without access to clean water and sanitation by 2015

Access to clean water and adequate sanitation are critical in tackling factors related to child mortality and survival, especially given the prevalence of diarrhoea and waterborne diseases and the role of sanitary health practices in preventative and sustainable responses.

Diarrhoea is a major cause of childhood illness and cholera an annual threat in both urban and rural areas due to recurrent flooding. Developing materials and distributing messages inculcating prevention measures are needed on an ongoing basis, using all available media, including community radio for outreach. An estimated 4.8 million Zambians live without access to clean water and 6.6 million lack access to sanitation.

The water, sanitation and hygiene sector-based programme component supports the implementation of the national rural water supply strategy. It will contribute to increasing capacities for such implementation, at all levels, particularly the planning, management and utilization of improved access to clean water and adequate sanitation services in rural areas and informal settlements, and in primary schools and health institutions.

Communities in target districts will be equipped to plan, construct and manage improved sanitation facilities and to adopt improved hygiene practices. The identified key results come within the following sub-components: community WASH; and schools WASH.

Through a strong collaboration with national and local government and other partners, such as implementing NGOs, UNICEF Programme is working to support Zambia achieve MDG targets for water and sanitation. This will help to halve the number of people without access to clean water and sanitation in the 20 UNICEF target districts by 2015, while underlining the importance of environmental management to control malaria, protect food supplies and water resources.

The programme has six key Results:

1. Halve the proportion of population without access to sustainable and safe drinking water in target districts by 2015

2. Halve the proportion of the population without access to an improved sanitation facility in target districts by 2015

Children drawing water from a water point supported by UNICEF in rural Zambia

Striving to meet the MDG targets for water and sanitation by 2015

The WASH program is working to halve the proportion of population without access to sustainable and safe drinking water by 2015 in 20 districts. Key indicators of progress include the proportion of the population using an improved water source (disaggregated for monitoring of equity) and of households that treat their water to make it safer to drink.

The proportion of adults and children by sex who collect water will be measured, as will the incidence of diarrhoea and worm infections, including with attention to diarrhoea trends in health centres. The number of innovative practices to accelerate progress in water access, and the proportion of workers with knowledge of HIV/AIDS prevention will also be monitored.

The program is also working to halve the proportion of the population without access to an improved sanitation facility by 2015 in 20 districts. Key indicators of progress include the proportion of the population using an improved sanitation facility (disaggregated for monitoring of inequalities), the number of townships and districts adopting and enforcing sanitation and hygiene standards, and the number of villages in 20 districts that are deemed to be open defecation-free (ODF).

The proportion of care-givers using a safe means of excreta disposal for children under 3 years will be measured, as will the incidence of diarrhoea and worm infections as for the previous result area.